This invention relates generally to aircraft instruments and more particularly but not by way of limitation to an improved aircraft turn coordinator for determining the yaw and roll rate of the aircraft.
In the flying of an aircraft a turn coordinator aids the pilot in initiating a coordinated turn maneuver. During brief disturbances due to air turbulences the gimbaled rate gyroscope will experience rapid rotation or lashing do to the movement of the aircraft. This rotation or lashing of the gimbaled gyroscope causes the turn indicator arm to move back and forth on the indicator dial face. This movement of the turn coordinator can be disconcerting and often causes an inexperienced pilot to over control the maneuvering of the aircraft resulting in an inaccurate turn maneuver.
Prior art turn coordinators have dampened the indicator arm by coupling the arm to the gimbaled gyroscope with a spring. The movement of the spring is dampened by a fluid damper. This type of coordinator does not prevent the lashing of the gyroscope and gimbal.